Saving the Dead
by Strained Silence
Summary: AU. After Kagome dies, she is faced with the question as to why she hasn't 'moved on'. Now an invisible hovering spirit, Kagome seeks the help of the only person who can see her. [SessKag]


Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. All rights go to the marvelous creator Rumiko Takahashi.

AN: Enjoy and please review!

Summery: AU. After Kagome dies, she is faced with the question as to why she hasn't 'moved on'. Now an invisible hovering spirit, Kagome seeks the help of the only person who can see her. SessKag

_**Saving the Dead**_

**Chapter 1: Mr. Ice**

Life is short. With one misstep, one accident, a person could loose it all. They loose what they worked to gain. They loose what they have yet to gain. They even loose what they _could_ have gained. It is a dark surprise to find that life is so fragile. Underestimated, the power of death reaches out unfairly to pick those from their plane in the universe and then cruelly affects those around the lost one. There is no stopping it. This is a fact, and might as well be a law…but then, aren't rules meant to be broken?

A girl no older than twenty stood on the crowded sidewalk, waiting like the other fifty bystanders to cross the street safely. Out of those fifty, she alone was shoved by an unsuspecting elbow, into the oncoming traffic.

There was no second to dodge, no time to stop, and definitely, no hero to save her. Her eyes widened as the vehicle came at her on screeching wheels. It might as well have been Hell's chariot come to steal her away. It happened too fast and too suddenly and then, Kagome Higurashi lay dieing in the middle of a Tokyo cross-section. Alone in her departure from this world yet surrounded by the eyes of shocked, concerned, and even curious strangers.

---------------

When Sesshomaru Taisho woke up that day, he had felt with an odd sense of puzzlement that today was going to be quite different from any other day. However, being anything but superstitious, Sesshomaru pushed the pressing feeling aside and went to routinely do his schedule like any normal day.

Sipping the same freshly prepared coffee and reading the paper which was delivered at the same time like every other week, Sesshomaru got ready for work. Today was the monthly Taisho Corporation board meeting, in which all members including him as CEO would discuss the issues that needed to be met in the near future.

It would be a long and grueling day, he could already tell. Giving somewhat of a sigh, Sesshomaru left his home in a clean black Armani suit with brief case in hand. Usually, he would walk to work. He was perfectly fit to do so and the exercise served to help get his blood flowing each morning. However, since he needed to be there early, Sesshomaru was inclined to be driven. His ride to work awaited him in front with his personal driver.

"Good morning, Sir," the driver said.

Sesshomaru gave him a nod in greeting, "Miroku, I need to get to work exceptionally early today."

"Yes, Sir." Miroku opened the door as his employer and somewhat friend climbed in. "Is it going to be a busy day, Sir?"

Miroku had worked for Sesshomaru for quite some time now, 4 years exactly. He was loyal and bearable, although, a bit lecherous. Sesshomaru could easily see that Miroku Hoshi was quite an intelligent man. Therefore, he found no problem in consenting to give Miroku a response that, if it had been anyone else, he would not have given.

"I have a conference to prepare for. I would rather make this meeting as short as possible. My tolerance for idiots is short today."

"Isn't it that way everyday?" Miroku teased.

There was a pause, and then Sesshomaru's deadpan voice, "Yes, it is."

The car was set into gear and pulled away from the curb and into traffic. On an ordinary day, the journey from home to the office would have been boring and uneventful, however, today there were lines upon lines of cars honking and beeping in protest. Aggravated, Sesshomaru looked outside his window to find the reason as to why he was being so delayed.

Immediately he understood, as he caught site of the police cars, the ambulance and more importantly the body of a woman being zipped up into a body bag by paramedics. He should have felt pity, or at least a bit of understanding, but no. Sesshomaru was not the type of man to become so emotional.

He shook his head in annoyance, though he continued to gaze outside. As he gazed closer at the accident, a woman who seemed like any normal bystander was watching the paramedics do their work. She held no pity or tears in her eyes, only a deep confusion blanketed her face. However, that was not what caught his attention.

The puzzled woman was standing over the paramedics, inside the barrier lines the police had put around the accident site while remaining completely ignored, as if invisible to all around her. **_Odd_**, he thought.

Finally the string of cars began to move and the car moved forward. Sesshomaru glanced at the Miroku who was muttering something like, "About time!" When Sesshomaru turned his eyes back to the woman though, she was gone. **_Very odd, indeed_**.

The strangeness of the woman left him a little bamboozled. Something about her was just a little _off_. Blinking, Sesshomaru dropped the subject from his mind. For something so trivial, the thoughts had been there for probably far too long. Thoroughly, irritated with his thinking, Sesshomaru leaned back and tried to fill his head with plans and the stressing issues sure to come up in the meeting this morning.

---------------

It felt so weird. One moment she was waiting to cross the street and by one of those delicious cakes from the bakery and the next, well, she's standing over a body that seems strikingly familiar.

She felt sick. The body was sprawled in an awkward position with the head bleeding profusely. The body was definitely female if the chest told her anything. Dark hair was matted in the sticky blood and faded eyes stared wide open. As Kagome gazed at those cold distant eyes in bewilderment, suddenly a thought struck her…**_Oh shit!_**

Nothing could have prepared her for the moment she found herself in. **_That can NOT be me! That can't be me! I'm alive. I'm right here, aren't I_? **Looking around, Kagome then noticed that even though she stood in clear site of everyone, no one noticed her. Her stomach suddenly constricted and her lungs felt as if a three hundred pound man had sat on them. Her mouth dried up and her legs nearly gave out. Kagome began to shake as the dread and panic rushed through her.

---------------

Complete dread and irritation rushed through him as he glared at the doors to the hell of which the board meeting was soon to be. Though, no one would have guessed his internal conflict. Sesshomaru's emotionless face gave no clue.

Opening the door with cool calm, the once chatty room fell silent as he walked silently to his seat at head of the long redwood table. Tension immediately filled the air. Some of the board members even began to sweat with anxiety and if one was to look even closer, a middle aged member was praying. None of this was missed by Sesshomaru. Once seated in the comfortable black leather seat, Sesshomaru turned his intimidating gaze to his employees.

"Begin," he said. With that one word the meeting ensued. Three presentations were given. In the first few stuttered presentations, Sesshomaru was able to understand that stocks were up and that business was profiting quite nicely even though there was a small lack of employees. To this, he put a man in charge of hiring more adequate people.

In the third presentation, Sesshomaru was given the bad news that one of the leading company backers had decided to cease support. In this, Sesshomaru asked his secretary to schedule an appointment with Kamiya Inc. to hopefully fix this issue.

Nearly four and half hours later, the meeting had come to an end. Sighing in a breath that no one could hear, Sesshomaru left the room. Going to his private office, Sesshomaru found mountains of paperwork and contracts on his desk, ready to be viewed and signed or declined.

Without blinking he swiftly sat and picked up the first page on top, determination to finish set in his resolve to finish. To say that time had flown by as he did his work would have been a lie. Receiving important calls from clients, repairing damage done by incompetent employees, and completing necessary paperwork, Sesshomaru did not leave work until very late.

He had thought about calling Miroku to pick him up, but thought better of it. He needed a good walk to work off the tension. True enough, it wasn't a very reasonable thing to do, because of his known fame, but Sesshomaru found he didn't care. The streets were still crowded by thousands of people on a nocturnal schedule.

Taking a different route to avoid the crazy onslaught of fans and other pedestrians, Sesshomaru walked a nearly barren street to his home, "nearly" being the key word. Walking to stand in a semi-crowd of people waiting to cross the street, Sesshomaru stood inconspicuously, well, as much as a tall and gorgeous man with _silver_ hair could be inconspicuously standing.

The sound of a small whimper brought his attention to turn to the person standing to his left. Looking down, to his surprise, it was the peculiar young woman from earlier that day of whom he had seen by the accident.

---------------

**_If I really died, then why am I still here? What the hell is going on?_**

Kagome was so confused. She was desperate for answers and in all her despair she could not help but give a small whimper of utter depression. In the corner of her eye she saw the sharp turn of someone's head. Looking at the person to her right, she would have gaped if she had been any less shocked.

Standing beside her was the most beautiful and sexy man she had ever seen. Excluding the fact that she just described him as "beautiful", there was something remarkably different about this guy. It couldn't be that he had amber eyes. It also couldn't be that he was so tall. **_What is it that makes him so special?_**

Without warning, the answer hit her like a car (pun intended). **_Is it possible that he can….see me?_** Hope filling her heart and soul, she stood up straighter from her hunched position.

"Excuse me, can….can you…see me?" Her voice sounded so airy to her. It was like the wind but clear enough to reach his ears, apparently, because he raised at eyebrow at her as if to say, '**Are you retarded?'**

A little offended by his eyebrow raising face and lack of a response, she said in a none-too-gentle tone, "You can see me, can't you? Well?"

In all his years, Sesshomaru had never been spoken to that way. A bit annoyed, he simply turned as the sign conveniently changed to the "safe to walk man" and walked away from the clearly mental girl.

"Hey!" She followed him shamelessly shouting, "Hey, hold on just a minute! I asked you a question and I would **highly** appreciate an answer! Are you listening to me? HEY!"

Kagome was sincerely pissed off now. How dare her only hope of help just ignore her like a sack of old take-out in the fridge! She was just about to yell at him again when he turned around to glare at her.

"Wench, I have no _need_ to listen, nor a care to. Stop following me." His words were as cold as the ice berg that Titanic hit. Sesshomaru hoped that she would get the none-too-subtle hint that he was throwing at her. She was silent for a few seconds, obviously contemplating his words seriously. However, his efforts were in vain.

"So…you **CAN** see me! I knew it!" She beamed an almost insane grin. Her smile was so big and _relieved_ that it threw him off for a second. Honestly, she didn't have a bad smile, but idiots were idiots, and this girl was most _definitely_ an idiot.

She was still grinning in satisfaction at her somewhat victory when he said in a voice so deadpan any man on mind-numbing medicine would be proud, "Stop following me." Her smile disappeared into the aggravated purse of lips. Her eyebrows drew together in an unhidden sign of her disapproval. Just as sudden, her face changed again into the haughty raise of a brow.

"What, no _please_ or _thank you_?" Kagome's voice leaked with unrepressed sarcasm.

"Life is too short to waste time on little stalkers like you."

Kagome could have choked after hearing those words. "You have no idea how short life really is! You should think twice before you say something like that, you jerk!" Just to add a good kick…

"_Besides,_ I am **NOT** a stalker of any kind, now or ever!"

Sesshomaru had to admit it, the girl had spunk but the meaning of her words caught a hold of his attention. Angered that the girl had dared to even _imply_ that he was unconscious of the limit to time, he could not help but shoot back, "You speak as if **you** would know!"

"I **do** know!" Fire flared to life in her eyes, changing the dark blue to a dark turquoise. He was slightly entranced by this change in color but refused to admit it consciously. Instead, he decided to pay more attention to their verbal argument. Sesshomaru was not one to loose to such a petty person.

"Oh? And how is that?" Doubtful that he would have a good answer, he leaned forward slightly with an intimidating stance that would make any man or woman melt into goop.

"Because…because, I'm d-dead." She looked down after her hesitant admission. There, she had said it. Kagome had finally admitted that she was no longer alive. She didn't know why she was still among the living though. **_Did I maybe miss "the light" or something? I mean, if there was ever a "light" in the first place, wouldn't I have seen it? Normally those "lights" or supposed to be bright, aren't they? Oh crap, I better not be here for a stupid mistake like not walking toward a light._**

Kagome's inner battle went unnoticed by the man standing in front of her. Her musings were cut short by the simple question, "You really are mental, aren't you?" If anything however, his tone did not indicate it as a question as much as a statement. She glared.

"It's true! I'm dead." She said it with such broad honesty, he nearly believed her. Sesshomaru was no fool though. He had had enough.

Once again, putting his back to her, he walked off muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "Idiot women and their…mental...stupid board meeting…"

Kagome nearly went after him, until she really thought about how she sounded. The more she thought, the more horrible she felt. She really _did_ sound like an idiot. I mean, how often does a random young lady come up to a person each day and spout something impossible like, "I'm dead!" Completely crestfallen, Kagome decided that maybe she should think of a way to really approach this guy prepared.

Just as Sesshomaru was about to turn the corner and forever leave her site, she shouted, "I'll stop following you tonight, if you tell me you're name!"

Taking into consideration her proposal, Sesshomaru turned his head only slightly and said, "Sesshomaru Taisho." Then, he was gone. Kagome felt the odd sense that she knew that name from somewhere…**_Taisho…Taisho…hmmm…_** And then, she knew. **_Oh my-gosh! Sesshomaru Taisho…He's one of the freak'n most wanted bachelors in the city!_**

Her thoughts ran dry accept for the words, **_Oh crap._**

---------------

Sesshomaru felt no regret telling that insane girl his name. After all, he was well known, so she would have found out sooner or later. If he got something out of it, like not being stalked, then by-darn, he had no objection to such a deal. Even if she did try to follow him, he had great security and it was unlikely that she would get so close again.

The night of restless sleep went by fast, unlike his daylight hours, and soon he found himself entering his office floor once again. Spotting his secretary filing papers outside his door, he calmly walked to the elder woman.

"Kaede, do I have any appointments this morning?"

"No, Sir. All of your appointments are scheduled for this evening. The first one will be at 2:00 p.m." She responded politely.

"Good. Are those for me?" Sesshomaru pointed to the folders lying on the corner of her desk.

"Yes, Sir. I was going to bring them to you after I finished putting these," She indicated the paperwork in her hands with a nod, "in the filing cabinet."

"No need. I'll take them now." With that he lifted the mound of folders and tucked them under one arm as he entered his private office. He closed the door quietly and twisted toward his desk. Sesshomaru nearly dropped each and every one of the papers in his arms at what he saw. It was rare that Sesshomaru would freeze up with such surprise but the site in front of him was that unexpected.

There, in _his_ seat, was the young woman who was stalking him yesterday. Her feet were comfortably and shamelessly propped up on his mahogany desk and she was leaning back as if she owned the world. When she noticed that she had his _full_ attention, something extremely hard to gain these days, she smiled that wide triumphant grin of hers.

"Hi!" She said enthusiastically. "Miss me?"

He glared. "Get out before I call security."

She would be smart to listen to such a demand but just as Sesshomaru had thought before, she was an idiot. Such an action as getting out of his office and out of his life would be incapable of someone so…so….idiotic! It wasn't this fact that provoked his annoyance, it was that grin again that seemed to really piss him off. It was like she was mocking him with the reality that his commands had no power over her like they did everyone else.

"I'll take that as a _no_." This time her smile dimmed a little. She waited a second before finally saying, "Ok, look. Frankly, I think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday. My name is Kagome Higurashi. I know you don't want to, but I need your help." Now her smile was completely gone and in its place was a pleading pout, though, small enough to not be too dramatic.

"You're right. I don't wish to assist you in any way. Find someone else. Now leave." It was the second time he had to issue that command. Never before, did he have to say something like that more than once. He idly wondered just how she got past the security guards, the desk employees, **and** his secretary. Sesshomaru trusted at the least Kaede to be loyal enough to not let such a girl into this office. Something here wasn't right about this wench.

"Don't you understand?" Clearly frustrated, Kagome tried to explain, "I _can't_ just find someone else. Believe me! I would if I could, but I can't! You are the _only _one that can see and hear me. Please, please reconsider."

"Oh that's right. You're dead. No one can see or hear you because you're dead." Sarcastic and he knew that she knew that. He didn't believe her. She began to growl in a very unladylike manner.

"What can I do to prove it to you?"

"You're the ghost. You tell me." He didn't even know _why _indulging her. He should have said, "I don't know, I don't care. Go away." But…he didn't. Sesshomaru watched as her whole demeanor change from completely dejected to instantly happy. Confused, he observed as she stood and walked over to the closest wall.

"Watch, but don't faint or anything, ok?"

Sesshomaru was about to snort in annoyance when the sound instantly died as she walked strait into the wall. Her entire body disappeared as she moved through the wall as if stopped by nothing but air. She was gone for only a second and then her head and _only_ her head reappeared from the wall.

Kagome was grinning again. "So…whatcha think, Mr. Ice?"

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End AN: REVIEW! PLEASE!


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